But the golf still matters, and that's why Phil Mickelson's back injury causes concern on the Monterey Peninsula.

This tournament needs Mickelson. He offers star power and sporting credibility, as the second-best player of his generation and a four-time AT&T champion. His fan-friendly demeanor also fits well with the spirit of the event.

Another not-so-incidental point: Mickelson shows up, year after year. He hasn't missed the tournament since 1994, a run of 19 consecutive appearances at a time when many players - "candy asses," Clint Eastwood once called them - bailed because of sketchy weather, slow rounds and bumpy greens.

Mickelson deals with it. So if his lower-back problems ultimately prompt him to skip next week's AT&T - he practiced Wednesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. (though he didn't go "full speed"), declared himself ready for Thursday's opening round of the Phoenix Open and said he expects to play at Pebble Beach - the impact will be significant.

"It would really hurt if we lose him, given his history here," tournament director Steve Johnsaid. "He's such a big draw and such a big piece of our success. He's a fixture - he's been very loyal to our tournament."

Mickelson, whose grandfather was a caddie at Pebble Beach, carries a strong attachment to the place, and obviously he'll try to return for the 20th consecutive year. But it might be overly optimistic to expect him to play in back-to-back events after he withdrew, in pain, last week at Torrey Pines.

That news reached John when he arrived home Friday and his wife, Lisa, told him what was happening. John planted himself in front of the television and cringed right along with Mickelson.

MPCC will remain in the AT&T rotation through at least 2020, thanks to a new seven-year contract. The deal replaces the previous contract, which was scheduled to expire after this year's event. Tournament and club officials plan a formal announcement next week.

"It's fantastic," John said. "Monterey Peninsula is a perfect fit with Pebble and Spyglass, given the history. We're thrilled."

MPCC was an original member of the rotation after the tournament moved to Northern California in 1947. For the next 20 years, the event was played at Pebble Beach, Cypress Point and MPCC. Spyglass Hill replaced MPCC in 1967; Poppy Hills replaced Cypress Point in 1991; and then MPCC returned, at Poppy's expense, in 2010.

Here's an intriguing twist: The new contract calls for the tour to consider using the MPCC's Dunes Course once its renovation is complete. The Dunes Course was used for the first 18 years of the event's Northern California run (1947-64); the Shore Course then took over in 1965-66, again in '77 (during work at Spyglass) and the past four years.

MPCC general manager Michael Bowhaysaid the club hopes to begin the Dunes Course renovation in the spring of 2015 and, ideally, finish before the 2016 AT&T. MPCC is going through the permitting process now and will put the project to a vote of its members in March.

The aim is to have architect Tom Fazioupgrade the irrigation system, improve the cart paths and modify the greens complexes and bunkers.

"I think it's very significant to have two courses the tour considers worthy of its events," Bowhay said. "The Dunes is even more spectator-friendly than the Shore, just with the access getting around the course. It would be great if we could alternate the Shore and Dunes on an annual basis."

Briefly: Brady is a new commitment to next week's tournament, giving the field a nice collection of quarterbacks (Brady, Rodgers and Alex Smith). ... Tiger Woods, fresh off his unsightly 79 at Torrey Pines, will play in this week's European Tour event in Dubai. Woods might not make another PGA Tour appearance until Feb. 27 at the Honda Classic, if reports are true that he plans to skip the Match Play Championship in Arizona. ... Casie Cathrea, the 18-year-old from Livermore who was one of the nation's most acclaimed college recruits, has left Oklahoma State, according to Golfweek.

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